The Adventures of Eugene Fitzherbert
by Sielu
Summary: Eugene Fitzherbert is an eight years old kid who wants an adventures. He wants to grow up to be like Flynnegan Rider, main character of his favorite book. What happens when a kid dreams for more than he could ever be? / One-shot


Corona was called _the place where your dreams come true_ by people around the continent and for most of its people that name was nothing but the truth. It didn't matter if you were the King or just a laundry woman; Corona was the perfect place to live a happy life. There weren't many taxes, people were friendly and crime was almost non-existent, all thanks to the King and Queen Government, based on understanding and caring for the citizens of the kingdom.

Everything was perfect, from the Queen's pregnancy to the state of the orphanage, where all the kids were taking in good care and most of them found lovely and caring families to spend the rest of their lives, but Eugene wasn't one of those kids.

His father left his mother when he found out she was pregnant and she died a little later before his birth. Left at the orphanage by his grandfather, he never knew a different life. Called Eugene by his mother, took the last name Fitzherbert from a history book he read when he was 6 years old. Impressed by the adventures of Lord Benjamin Fitzherbert, he decided he needed a last name as cool as his, he wasn't going to wait until the day of his adoption to get one and after weeks and weeks of reading history books, he decided that Fitzherbert was the one that suited him the most.

It was one of the days he spent at the orphanage's library looking for more information about Lord Benjamin, when he saw an older kid reading a big story book called _The Adventures of Flynnegan Rider_. The book was twice as big as The Frog Prince and the cover was green leather with a big bright golden writing on it. _"Wanna read it?" _said the older kid when he caught him staring at the book. Eugene looked at him, excited and ready to learn about Flynnegan Rider, took the book from his hands and smiled to the boy. _"You can keep it, if you want. The book's mine and I'm leaving tomorrow. You'll see, I've been adopted"_ Adopted, a word Eugene was sure he would never be called. _"Just make sure to read it every night to your friends. I used to do that with mine, before they left"_ and with nothing more to say, the kid left the library, ready to start a new life.

Flynnegan Rider was everything a kid wanted to be; a man who lived an adventure after another. Always saving the day; always getting the girl. His immense fortune allowed him to travel around the world, buying ships if he wanted to cross the sea and live adventures no man could ever dream of. Every story about him in that book allowed Eugene to imagine how different his life would be if he were Flynnegan, how the other kids would love him and how he wouldn't have to live in the orphanage, because he would be traveling to exotic places he only knew in his dreams.

"… _and then, Flynnegan Rider climbed the tower and rescued the princess from her prison. The Dragon who captured her lied dead at the bottom of the tower and they lived happily until his next adventure"  
"Do we really have to listen to these stories every night, Eugene?" _Asked a little redhead girl, who was sitting in the floor. She was one of the orphans Eugene was in charge of when the adults were too busy with the babies. _"Yes, Mal. I promised I was going to read these stories to you every night. I thought you liked them" _The little girl rolled her eyes and then whispered something to her friend next to her, they giggled. _"We really like them, Eugene, but we want to hear others. You're the only one who's not tired of Flynnegan Rider", "Shut it, Maladicta" _yelled a tall, brown haired kid. He was around Eugene's age, but looked older. _"If you don't want to hear those stories anymore you should leave. As for me, I'm dying to know what happens to Flynnegan after he killed the dragon", "Dragons are not real", "Have you ever seen one?", "Yes, you every morning", "At least I don't look like a dog", "At least I don't smell like one", "KIDS!" _One of the adults came into the room and interrupted Maladicta's fight with the boy. _"Time to go to sleep. Eugene put that book down. Girls, to your room" _She blew the candle and all the light was gone. Eugene couldn't read anymore, but he could sure dream about Flynnegan's next adventure.

The following day was a very special day; the Queen finally gave birth to a healthy little girl with golden hair. The whole Kingdom was celebrating; parties were everywhere and as a thank you gesture to the sun, the King and the Queen launched a flying lantern into the sky and for that one moment everything was perfect. And them that moment ended.

"_Eugene, we need to talk" _The boy who was fighting with Maladicta the night before came to him. _"I'm leaving. I've been adopted"_ Eugene felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. Zachary, his only friend, was leaving the orphanage to start a life with a new family. _"I think I was blessed by the sun, just like the Princess! Isn't that great?"_He didn't know what to answer; he didn't know what to do. All Eugene wanted to do was run into his room and read; maybe _The Adventures of Flynnegan Rider _could help him to overcome the pain of losing his only friend. Sure, he knew and played with other kids, but Zachary was his best friend and no one could ever replace him.

That night, Eugene escaped from the boys' room, book under one arm and candle under the other in direction to the library, the only place where he knew he could be better, but when he walked outside the kitchen he heard more bad news: apparently someone stole the Princess from the palace and people everywhere, including the King, were looking for her across the Kingdom. That very moment, something hit him. A young Princess was in danger and he was sure none of the idiots of the Royal Guard were going to find him, they never noticed when he and Zachary stole fruit from the market anyway, how were they going to find a Princess? He came back to the boys' room and put on some shoes. If someone was going to rescue the Princess, it was going to be him, Eugene Fitzherbert. After all, he learnt everything about being a hero from Flynnegan Rider.

"_Where was the perfect place to take a baby Princess?"_ He asked to himself. _"The Forest, of course!" _Eugene stepped into the forest, one of the places he was forbidden to visit. The adults in charge of the orphanage used to tell them stories about kids playing in the forest that never came back home, they were kidnapped by a witch who forced them to work for her until the day they die. If there really was a witch, no one would try to get close the forest and that's why it was the perfect place to keep the Princess, no one would try looking over there, afraid of the witch and the Princess, wherever she was, could never been found.

Eugene walked in silence, looking everywhere for a sign of the Princess. It wouldn't be so hard, right? She's supposed to have golden hair; you can see golden hair from a long distance. After two hours of walking in silence, he got hungry. He looked inside his satchel, but didn't find anything to eat. His stomach made a weird noise and he sat on the dirt. Then, less than a second later, he heard a noise, it sounded like broken branches. A tall figure was walking in his direction, wearing a cape and with a lantern in his right hand. Eugene tried to hide between some butches, but it was too late, the tall person was standing in front of him and was ready to grab his hand. _"The witch!"_ he thought. He knew the end was near, he was going to be forced to work for the witch until his dying day.

"_What is a young boy like you doing in the forest at his hour?" _Asked the tall figure. His voice was nothing like a woman's voice, it was a man's. A man with a very kind voice. _"Are you lost? Do you need help going back home?" _Eugene looked at him; he had brown eyes and hair and didn't look like a bad person. _"I'm not lost and I don't have a home, I'm an orphan, I live in the orphanage" _He sat next to the kid and opened a little bag he had tied to his belt. _"What's your name?" _He asked. _"Eugene Fitzherbert", "Well, Eugene, you look hungry. Here, have an apple" _He took a big red apple from his bag and gave it to the kid. Eugene looked at the apple for a few seconds, recalling the story of _Snow White _Mrs. Watson used to tell the kids back in the days when she ran the orphanage, but he was too hungry to doubt and ate it. _"You know, Eugene. The Forest isn't a good place for a little kid like you", "I'm not a little kid" _he said, with his mouth filled with apple, _"I'm eight years old", "And what is an eight years old man like you doing here alone?", "I'm looking for the Princess, those idiots from the Royal Guard won't be able to find her, so I came to her rescue" _The man didn't say anything. He just sat there next to him and Eugene noticed a single tear falling from his eyes. It was the first time he ever saw an adult cry. _"You are such a brave young man, Eugene, but you shouldn't be here. It isn't safe for a kid" _He stood up and extended a hand to the boy. _"Come with me, my horse is not far from here, I'll take you back to the orphanage", "But the Princess…", "She'll be fine. We're going to find her, she'll be back home" _

They didn't talk on their way to the orphanage. Eugene felt like failure, he couldn't find the Princess and someone else had to take him to the orphanage, because he got lost in the forest. He would never be as brave as Flynnegan Rider. He wasn't born to live an adventure.

When they arrived to the orphanage, the woman in charge of the boys' room gave him a big hug after telling him how careless he was, he could have died and everyone was so worried. Then, she bowed down to the man who brought him back and Eugene understood: the caring, lovely man he met in the forest was the King of Corona. He was looking for the Princess when he found Eugene. He felt terrible, he made the King stop his search for his daughter and help a lost orphan who was too stupid for his own good.

The woman was closing the front door when Eugene run in her direction and stopped her. He stepped out the orphanage and yelled to the King _"I'm going to find her! Your Majesty, I'm going to find the Princess and I'll bring her home! You'll be a family again!" _The King, who was already mounting this horse, smiled back at him and said _"I'm sure you will, Eugene. I'm sure you will"_

_

* * *

_

_"You kept your promise"  
_Eugene was sitting in one of the gardens of the palace, watching Rapunzel dance with a knight. _"I don't understand, Your Highness" _The King smiled at him and sat next to him. _"Eighteen years ago you promised me you were going to bring my daughter home; that you were going to help us to be a family again. You did it, Mr. Fitzherbert, she's back" _He smiled to himself and recalled that moment. After that day he insisted on being called by the name of _Flynn Rider_, because one day he was going to be a hero and didn't want anybody to remember poor orphan Eugene Fitzherbert. _"I didn't do anything, she pretty much saved herself. You have a very strong daughter", "That's not what she said" _The King laid a hand on one of Eugene's shoulders while looking at her daughter dance. _"You died for her, that's a something. Thank you"_

Both men stayed sat for a while, enjoying the celebration. Rapunzel, the lost Princess, was finally home and had the caring family she always deserved. And he, Eugene Fitzherbert lived the adventure he always dreamed of. He got his life changing travel, killed the dragon (if cutting Rapunzel's hair and making Gothel old enough to die counted) and got the girl, all as Eugene Fitzherbert. Flynn Rider died back in the tower.

The King stood up; the Queen was inviting him to dance with her and the Princess. He looked back at Eugene and, smiling, said _"Welcome home, son"_

_Home. _Poor orphan Eugene Fitzherbert was home at last. Just wait until Maladicta and Zachary hear about it.


End file.
